Friday, 27 March 2009

Z tried ineffectually to get organised

It was a bright and sunny morning when I went out, but cold and grey again when I came home a couple of hours later. I'm by no means warm enough. I rummaged in my wardrobe for a jacket this morning and came up with one I bought from a second-hand clothes stall some 20 years ago. It's grey, Marks & Spencer, and I remember the reason I bought it was because it was nicely tailored and hand-finished. Even then, I thought hand stitching on a chain store item was pretty good, and of course you'd not get it, even for a lot more money, now. I wore it a lot for years but it's had a decade's rest so it seems new to me all over again.

I had a few spare minutes during the music lesson as the teacher had to put together all the recordings of the pupils' work. They were told they could watch a film or play some music in the practice rooms. Every one of them chose the music, gratifyingly enough for the teacher. I used the time to make a list of what to take tomorrow and what to do before I go. It's turning into a busy day. I'm becoming quite twitchy about it. Not that I need to be exactly, but it won't be easy to buy things I forget. I left paint in the cupboard under the sink - I don't see why the tenant might have thrown it out, but I'll be a bit scuppered if he has as you can't buy useful things in Islington on a Sunday easily. Chapel Market still has practical shops, but I don't think the paint shop will be open. Woolworth's closed to make way for Waitrose (still not opened up when I was last there a few weeks ago) even before the company folded.

It was lucky that I booked my return ticket for Monday and not Sunday, as I have been rung by the firm doing the energy efficiency check. This is a new certification that the government has just brought in. One has to have gas and electricity safety checks and a good thing too - I've no problem with that - but this particular one is a bit pointless. And expensive. Anyway, they haven't been able to contact the present tenant, so finally got hold of me. I said I thought it had been done, since I've already had the charge on my credit card bill. No pleased about that but there's little point in making a thing about that. I said I can be there on Monday morning only, so they are sending someone round.

Indeed, you do appreciate that wasn't the sort of thing I meant, but a reasonably fine wool, tailored and finished by hand. This jacket dates from the days when nearly all M&S stuff was made in this country (their advertisements said 85%, I think) and most of the rest was made in Israel, as was this jacket - in the days when Israel was more of a freedom fighter than a bully.

The Day Job

The Place to Go

Delightful people with a little too much time on their hands

Copyright

Oh, what's the problem? This is hardly Great Literature. I'd appreciate anything taken from here being acknowledged, and I might change my mind if I'm suddenly proclaimed as the Literary Queen of the Blogosphere - but I probably wouldn't. Do what you like, just as long as it doesn't extend to defamation of anyone, even me.

Actually, you want to pass off what I say as your own, I might even be flattered. Let's face it, who cares anyway?